Canjilon Ranger District Plans Prescribed Burn in October

Taos, NM (September 13, 2018) - For Immediate Release. Fire managers on the Carson National plan to take advantage of favorable conditions, including fuel moisture levels, air quality, and winds and weather forecasts to initiate the Highway 84 prescribed burn on the Canjilon Ranger District as early as October 1st through October 31st 2018. View and download map.

The prescribed burn is located 3 ½ miles northwest of Canjilon, ½ mile south of Cebolla, and ½ mile north of Rincon Blanco. The 820 acre unit runs parallel along the east side of highway 84 and extends along FS road 125 up to the junction of FS road 125 and 124.

The prescribed burn is a combination of broadcast and jackpot burning of down woody Pondersoa Pine, Pinon, and Juniper.

The purpose of the Highway 84 prescribed burn is to reduce hazardous fuels following thinning and fuelwood removal activities. Reducing hazardous fuels will help lessen the threat of high severity, high intensity wildfire to the public, adjacent private property, and natural resources in the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) area that surrounds the communities of Canjilon and Placita Garcia. Treatments will help fire managers re- introduce fire into a fire adapted ecosystem, thus improving forest health, forest structure, forest resiliency and wildlife habitat. Prescribed fires are one of the most effective tools available to resource managers for restoring fire dependent ecosystems. This prescribed burn is managed with firefighter and public safety as the first priority.

Smoke may be visible from the communities of Canjilon, Cebolla, Las Nutrias, Tierra Amarilla, Rincon Blanco, Placita Garcia and Abiquiu. Smoke may impact the communities of Canjilon, Placita Garcia, Cebolla, and Rincon Blanco and may impact US Highway 84 and State Highway 115.

Smoke-sensitive individuals and people with respiratory or heart disease are encouraged to take precautionary measures. Information on air quality and protecting your health can be found online at the New Mexico Department of Health’s website at https://nmtracking.org/fire.

For additional information about this prescribed burn, contact the Canjilon Ranger District at 575-684-2489.